Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
VA Awards Record $1.17B To 680 Groups Fighting Veteran Homelessness
Military.com: VA Awards Record $1.1B In Grants To 680 Organizations To Fight Veteran Homelessness
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) on Monday announced a record-high $1.17 billion in grants to continue to fight veteran homelessness. Grants were awarded to 680 organizations across the nation to help veterans who are either homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The grants will be distributed in Fiscal Year 2027 and come after the agency touted housing 51,936 homeless veterans in FY25—a seven-year high. (Mordowanec, 9/14)
From Illinois, Minnesota, and Ohio —
Chicago Tribune: Judge Blocks Illinois Aid-In-Dying Law For Catholic Providers
A federal judge has temporarily blocked enforcement of Illinois’ new medical aid-in-dying law against Catholic healthcare providers, siding with a lawsuit from Cardinal Blase Cupich a day after a different judge refused to block the law entirely in a separate case. (Gorner, 9/14)
MPR News: Minnesota To End Use Of Hotel Rooms To House People Experiencing Mental Health Crises
Starting this week, Minnesota will no longer allow the use of hotel rooms to provide what’s called “crisis respite.” It’s a Medicaid-funded program aimed at providing care and supervision to people experiencing mental health crises. (Moini and Elder, 9/14)
The Wall Street Journal: One State's Battle To Stop People From Taking Unapproved Weight-Loss Drugs
Tiffinne Perkins, a nurse practitioner who ran an Ohio-based weight-loss clinic called Enbody, appeared on the local news and lifestyle morning show “New Day Cleveland.” “How many people got skinny thanks to you lately?” asked the host, in a segment sponsored by Enbody. (Janin, 9/14)
From Connecticut, Georgia, and Florida —
The CT Mirror: CT Insurance Department Approves Rate Hikes For 2027 Health Plans
Connecticut insurance officials have signed off on an average rate hike of 11.3% for 2027 state-regulated, individual health plans. They also approved an average increase of 15.1% for small group policies. (Carlesso, 9/14)
KFF Health News: Rising Healthcare Costs Have Hit Georgia’s Most Conservative District. But Its Politics Are Unlikely To Change
Amber Bates of Cohutta, Georgia, is one of thousands of people without health insurance in the 14th Congressional District, home to about 765,000 people in the northwestern corner of the state. She and her husband have not had health coverage for the past two years, Bates said, because their employment is unsteady and they earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, the public health insurance for those with disabilities or low incomes. (Lumpkins, 9/15)
WUSF: Florida Gets $8 Million Federal Grant To Strengthen 988 Suicide And Crisis Services
Florida is among the states receiving new federal funding to strengthen behavioral health services, including more than $8 million for the state's 988 suicide and crisis helplines. (Mayer, 9/15)
Florida Phoenix: Still No Answers From DeSantis Administration On KidCare Disenrollments, Challenges
The administration of Gov. Ron DeSantis is still not giving firm answers on when — or whether — it intends to expand a safety-net healthcare program for low-income children that the Florida Legislature has approved. (Sexton, 9/14)
In health news from California —
CalMatters: California Bill Could Switch Your Biologic Drug To Save Money
Close to 25,000 Californians could see a change in their medication starting as soon as next year if Gov. Gavin Newsom signs legislation now sitting on his desk. (Ibarra, 9/14)
The New York Times: A Teen Autopsy Marks The Arrival Of A Deadly Drug In San Francisco
It was a stressful Tuesday morning in San Francisco, and Christina Lacourte went to her son’s bedroom to roust him for school. The door was locked, so she had to wrangle it open with a coat hanger. Inside, she saw her son in his bed, under the neon storefront “Open” sign he had wanted for his birthday in sixth grade. His face was turning blue, and his veins were visible. Black fluid oozed out of his nose and mouth and pooled on his sheets. She raced to retrieve the two doses of Narcan she kept in her kitchen drawer for exactly this moment, the one she had long feared, but they did not revive him. (Knight, 9/14)
CalMatters: What To Know About Self-Harm As Emergency Room Visits Increase
It had been four days since Jae Janea had spoken to anyone. The loneliness was setting in. Dark thoughts were becoming overwhelming. So on a summer evening last year she walked into a dollar store and bought a pack of razor blades. (Durham, 9/14)
Phys.org: Healthy Checkout Policy Shows Promise For Reducing Soda Sales And Increasing Healthy Snack Purchases
In March 2021, Berkeley, Calif., became the first city in the world to ban the display of sugary beverages and snacks in store checkout lanes, where candy, chocolate and soda are commonly placed to encourage impulse buying while shoppers are in line. A new study led by researchers at Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH) and the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) examined the effects of this healthy checkout ordinance (HCO) on shoppers' purchasing decisions and found that the policy was linked to a decrease in soda sales and small-package candy sales in supermarkets, but not total candy sales. (9/11)
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